Photograph-printing frame.



No. 884,804. PA-TENTED'APR. 1 4, 1908.'

R.-DU PERRBAX.

PHOTOGRAPH PRINTING FRAME.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23,1901.

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ROBERT DU PERREX, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

PHOTOGRAPH-PRINTING FRAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 23, 1907.

Patented April 14, 1908.

Serial No. 375,317.

T o all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT DU Pnnnnx, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Photograph-Printing Frames, of which the:following is a specification.

This .invention relates to photographic printing frames, its primaryobject being to improve the construction of the backs of such iframesand to provide a novel and simple construction of means for locking theback in closed position and automatically swinging the same to openposition upon the release of the locking means, thereby permitting thepaper and negative to be quickly and conveniently inserted within orremoved from the frame.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sectional back havinga sectional spring-pressed follower adapted to engage and firmly retainthe printing paper in engagement with the negative and permit the backto be closed without liability of breaking the negative or glass of theframe.

IVith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of thenovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafterfully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying;drawings, in which i Figure 1 is a rear perspective view of a printingframe constructed in accordance with my invention, the back being shownin opened position. Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the frame.Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 4 is a detailplan view illustrating the construction of the 'follower springs. Fig. 5is a detail section, illustrating the construction of one of the guidingconnections between the frame back and follower. A

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, 1 designates the frameprovided in its top and bottom portions with the usual finger recesses 25 3, a negative or supporting glass arranged within the frame; and 4,the back of the frame. The back 4l consists of sections 5 and 6, thesection 6 being smaller than the section 5 and designed to be openedindependently of the latter' when it is desired to examine the printing`paper. The said sections 5 and 6 are hinged at one side of the frame,each being provided to this end with hinge-leaves or plates 7 aperturedto engage a rod 8 extending longitudinally at one side of the frame andsuitably fixed at its ends to the top and bottom bars of the frame, asindicated at 9, said rod being supported and stayed at a central pointby a bracket 10 secured to the side piece and through which the rodextends. Pairs of coiled springs 11 surround the rod 8 and have theirfree ends suitably connected to the side of the frame and their oppositeor inner ends connected and bent to form a spring arm 12 seated in arecess 13 in the hinged end of the adjacent back section, whereby thesprings are caused to exert pressure on the back sections toautomatically swing the same open when said sections are released. Eachair of springs is preferably formed of a single iece of spring wire, thewire being folded between the inner ends of the spring members toproduce the arm l2, while the ends of the rod 8 are preferably let intorecesses in the top and bottom portions of the frame and secured thereinby pins or other suitable fastenings.

The opposite side of the frame is provided with latch devices to engagethe free side edges of the back sections 5 and 6, each latch being ofthe construction clearly shown in Fig. 2, and comprising an angle orL-shaped plate 14 which is hingedly secured in ap hed position, as at15', to present its vertica portion in a recess 15a formed in said sideof the frame and its horizontal portion in a recess 16 formed in theupper or rear edge of said side, a leaf spring 17 being disposed in therecess 16 and operating to press the horizontal arm of the latch upwardand maintain the vertical arm thereof in normal or upright position forlocking engagement with a locking pin 1S on the cooperating backsection. The lockingl pin is preferably provided with a beveled end tosnap into an opening 19 formed in the vertical arm of the latch, bywhich the latch section is locked in closed position. Upon thedepression of the horizontal arms of the 'i latches the back sectionswill be released and will be automatically thrown open by the springs11, as will be readily understood. When the back sections are swungclosed7 the beveled ends of the locking pins will engage and tilt ordepress the latches against the resistance of the springs 17 and willsnap into the openings 14, whereupon the s rings 17 will restore thelatches to norma position and hold the back sections closed.

A yielding follower is provided for use in conjunction with the backsections 5 and 6, and comprises sections 20 and 21 respectively carriedby and coinciding in size with the said back sections. Each follower isbodily movable or slidable upon its back section, and to this end hasconnected therewith pins or screws 22 free to slide in openings 23 inthe back section, the head of the pin or screw being adapted to movewithin a recess 24 communicating with the opening 23, thus allowing thefollower to have sufficient yielding action to -vary its pressure andcompensate for different thicknesses of printing paper and to press thesame firmly against the glass or negative 3. Each follower is pressedoutward from its back section by a pair of looped pressure springs 26,said springs being preferably formed of spring wire and of V- shape. Thefree ends of the arms of the springs, which are in alinement with eachother, are bent to fit firmly within holding recesses in the follower,while the return portions 27 of the spring are curved outwardly towardthe coacting back section and bear against the same, and thereby tend bytheir pressure to force the follower outward to the imit afforded by theguide pins 22. It will be observed that the bearing portions 27 of thespring engage the follower sections at points adjacent the guide pins22, and that such springs are disposed in opposing relation, so as toexert pressure at equidistant points, whereby the followers are adaptedto move in true paths and prevented from tilting and binding upon theguide pins. It will thus be understood that when the sections are closedthe followers will exert a desired pressure on the paper, and that wheneither back section is opened the follower member connected thereto willmove outwardly therewith. As the followers are free to yield when theback sections are closed it will be seen that all liability of breakageof the glass or negative from undue pressure will be avoided. A packingor joint closure strip 28 is mounted for sliding movement in atransverse slot in the free edge of one of the follower sections and isadapted to be pressed outward into engagement with the free edge of theother follower section by a curved plate pressure spring 29 disposed insaid slot, thus rendering the back of the frame air and moisture tightwhen closed. The means for slidably mounting the strip preferablycomprises pins 30 extending across the slot and passing throughelongated openings 31 in the strip. The manifold advantages of thefeatures of construction described will be obvious and need not beenumerated.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is :F

1. A photographic printing frame comprising a frame proper, a sectionalback hinged thereto, means for locking the back in closed position,automatic means for opening the back, follower-sections, guide pinsslidably connecting said follower-sections with the back-sections, andlooped springs of wire terminally Hated upon each back-section, saidsprings having their return portions free and bent outward to bearagainst the associated follower-section adjacent the pins, whereby saidsprings engage said follower-section in proximity to its guided pointsto yieldingly force the same away from said back section.

2. A photographic printing frame comprising a frame proper provided inone of its sides with recesses, each having a vertical portion on theinner face and a horizontal portion across the rear face of the side, asectional back hinged to the opposite side of the frame, spring means toforce the back sections open, beveled locking pins upon the free edgesof the back sections, latches upon the frame fitted in said recesses,each latch having a vertical and a horizontal portion occupying thecorresponding portions of its recess, the vertical portion being pivotedand provided with an opening to receive the coacting locking pin, and aspring in the horizontal portion of each recess to hold the horizontalportions of the latches pressed outward and to maintain the latchesnormally in locking position.

3. A photographic printing frame comprising a frame pro er, backsections hinged to .one side of the rame, locking pins upon the swingingedges of the back sections, L- shaped latches upon the opposite side'ofthe frame, each having one of its arms pivoted to the frame and adaptedto receive and engage the coacting locking pin, and a spring acting onthe other arm to hold the latch normally in locking position.

4. A photographic printing frame comprising a frame pro er, a sectionalback hinged thereto, means or locking the back in closed position,automatic means for opening the back, yieldingly mounted followersections on the back, and a spring-pressed closure strip upon onesection adapted to close the space between the same and the othersection.

In testimony whereof, l a'HiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT DU PERREX.

Vlitnesses MARTIN HEGGEMEIER, HERMAN T. Kooi-L

